”Rain” gets the Beatles right, mostly

Joe Bithorn (aka George, left) and Steve Landes (John) re-create the early Beatles in “Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles,” which is at the Majestic Theatre through Sunday.

It’s hard to go wrong with two hours of Beatles music. And “Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles” gives aging baby boomers what they want  a couple dozen tunes, from “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” to “The End”  that allow them to revisit their lost youth.

Bassist Joey Curatolo (aka Paul McCartney) acknowledged the crowd’s demographic when he said, “OK, now eveyone 18 and under sing” during a closing sing-along of “Hey Jude.” Of course, there was laughter  and no singing, since almost no one in the crowd fit that description.

The show, which debuted Tuesday night in the Majestic Theatre and runs through Sunday, aims to put the Beatles in the context of the times, opening with an early ’60s montage showing twisting teens and JFK, then later using images evoking the Summer of Love, Woodstock, Vietnam and the moon landing. Fortunately, these interludes, which provided cover for costume and set changes, didn’t cut into the music too much. I would have glady swapped them for a couple more songs, although a montage of ’60s commercials, including Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble pitching Winston cigarettes, was a hoot.

The show breaks down as follows (I’m not really giving anything away, but skip over this part if you want to be completely surprised):

 “Magical Mystery Tour”/”White Album”: After intermission, the psychedelia deepens with “Hello Goodbye” and “I Am the Walrus.” Then the show shifts into acoustic mode for “Girl,” “Blackbird” and the start of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” which ends in an electric wail of guitars.

Beatles fans can quibble over many of the details in the show’s construction, especially the way it plays fast and loose with the timeline (“Eleanor Rigby” was on “Revolver,” for instance). I certainly have my list, but too much nitpicking may make this sound too negative, which is not my intent. “Rain” is a thoroughly enjoyable show; I’d jump at the chance to see it again.

For everything that bothered me (mostly the fake newsreel footage and the jarring leap from Shea to “Sgt. Pepper,” largely skipping “Revolver” and “Rubber Soul”), there were far more highlights. Like hearing late-period Beatles tunes played live, which the band never did, having quit the road in 1966. Or the thunderous final piano chord of “A Day in the Life,” which was loud enough to shake the Majestic. Or a searing version of “Revolution.”

Or for that matter, hearing my wife regale the two 20something guys next to us with tales or her trip to see the Beatles in Dallas in 1964 when she was in the fifth grade. As the credit card ad says, priceless.

The only painful moment came during “When I’m 64.” I used to dislike it because it was nonrocking and sappy. Now I dislike it because it hits a little too close to home. Ouch!

As Paul, Joey Curatolo switches from his trademark violin bass to acoustic guitar in Act II. Don’t hate him because he’s right-handed.